Improved manufacture of chipped beep



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CHARLES "LAFAYETTE TUCKER, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

Letters Patent No. 92,9(l7, da t ed July 20, I 69.

IMPROVED MANUFACTURE O 1 CHIPPED BEEF.

The Schedule referred to inthese Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

chipping dried orsmoked beef ready for the table,

and enclosingthe same, in marketable form, within some suitableintegument, so that the same being protected from the action of the air,may be preserved without waste for an indefinite fperiod, remainingmoist and free from mould, and at all times ready for immediate use.

Dried beef, when finelyv and evenly chipped, free from mildew or mould,and retaining a proper portion of its natural moisture, is a deliciousrelish and an economical aiticle of foo As usually handled and kept, itis subject to great waste, and its suitable preparation for the table isinconvenient. I

It is liable to become mildewed or mouldy, or to become fiy-blown andwormy, and when kept for a long time, the exterior and the thin portionsbecome exceedingly dry and hard, and sacking will not obviate. thesediiiiculties.

For table-use, very thin slices are required, and if I prepared anylength of time before use, the slices become dry and hard, unlessprotected by suitable means, and the process of chipping by hand isdiflicult and laborious.

By the use of my mode of preserving dried beef in achipped or slicedform, and the use of a proper casi ing or integument, all of thesedifiiculties are avoided, for, by reason of slicing or chipping it,assoon asthe moisture is reduced to the proper degree, I am enabled toreduce it to a compact form, so that, 'in any event, only a sniallsurface is exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and by enclosing itin this compact form, in a suitable air-tight casing or integument, allfurther reduction of the moisture ceases, and it is fully protected fromall attacks of ,worms, flies, mould, mildew, or other fungi.

. In preparing died beef by my mode or process, the beef is driedorsmoked in any of the 'well-known' modes. I then chip it or: slice itinto the desired grades, either by machinery or by hand, according tothe amount to be'put up,,and, when chipped, the slices are pressed intosuitable forms, to receive the casing orintegurnent, or are presseddirectly into the casings,

as may be desired, or be most convenient.

The pressure should be sutficient .to so'compress the slices that theair will be excluded, but not so severe as to make a solid mass of thechips. I prefer, anthusually use for a.casing,,light-lfpiyes,

made of thin wood, (veneers,) and so constructed as to hold a measured'or weighted quantity, and for purposes of transportation andconvenience of packing, I prefer to make such casings angular or square.v Similar boxes or casings may be made of strawboard, or. other paper,and the slices, may becom-'1 pressed into globular or cylindrical forms,and enclosed .in anintegument or casing of cloth or thin paper.

It will be obvious that the cylindrical form'can be usedfor any of thecasings or integuments.

The integuments maybe rendered impervious. to the actiouof theatmosphere, and toany moisture which may remain in the beef, by any ofthe usual or well-known ,appliances,'- and I the packages may be dippedin liquid carbolic acid, without injury, and with beneficial results.

The packages can be supplied 'to the market-with single casing orintegument, when such casings =are rendered impervious, as abovedescribed.

It will befound a more desirable practice not to so treat the casings,but to make them 'of ,the desired 7 material, as it is found, and renderthe packages img pervious' by an additional coating or covering." That.

covering which will be equally good and give the best appearance, ismetallic-foil paper, put on or made to adhere with silicate of soda, or.liquid glass, which: will prevent mildew or mould, and is not easily'affected by heat or moisture to wood, cloth, or paper.

Other adhesive substances, and other covering-mateiial maybe used; but Ipreferthose named.

For some markets, a simple coating of the integument, with .apreparation of gum, or a suitable varand is equally applicablenish,-will be found sufliicient, but an additional outer.

coatingof foil or foil-paper will give the packages a more finishedappearance, and when a coating. is applied to'the package, or asurfacing or saturating-proeess is applied to the material of which theintegu ment' is made, any ordinary paper may be used forthe outercovering, as such covering then has no direct preservative efl'ect.

Having thus fully.described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

.1. The mode herein described of preserving dried or smoked beef, bychipping or slicing and compressing such'slices into acompact form, ad'enclosingsuch packages in air-tight'integ'uiiients,- substantially asspecified.

2. As a new articleof manufacture,'smokedor dried beef, when slicedorchipped ready'for use, andeuclosed in any close-fittingintegument,substantially as. and,

for the purposes specified v OHARIJES'L. TUCKER.

Witnesses:

E. A. Wnsr, 0. W.'Bo1vn.

